1981 CFL draft

The 1981 CFL Draft composed of seven rounds where 81 Canadian football players were chosen from eligible Canadian universities and Canadian players playing in the NCAA. A total of 18 players were selected as territorial exemptions, with every team making at least one selection during this stage of the draft. Through a trade with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the Calgary Stampeders selected first overall in the draft.

Territorial exemptions
Saskatchewan Roughriders                               Eugene Larocque  DT  Utah

Toronto Argonauts                                      Hazen Carinci  DB  Simon Fraser

Toronto Argonauts                                          Dan Ferrone             G                Simon Fraser

Toronto Argonauts                                          Bernie Pickett  TB  Wilfrid Laurier

Toronto Argonauts                                          Bob Bronk  TB  Queen's

Ottawa Rough Riders John Park  TE  Bowling Green

Ottawa Rough Riders                                        Ian Beckstead  TE  Richmond

Montreal Alouettes                                     Marc Lacelle  TB  McGill

British Columbia Lions Rob Smith  G  Utah State

British Columbia Lions                                     Rick Klassen            G                 Simon Fraser

Calgary Stampeders                                     Scott MacArthur  DE  Calgary

Calgary Stampeders                                         Shawn Beaton  DL  Boise State

Calgary Stampeders                                         Randy Besler  G  Northeast Missouri

Calgary Stampeders                                         Randy Fournier  DT  Cincinnati

Winnipeg Blue Bombers                                  Perry Kuras  G  North Dakota

Hamilton Tiger-Cats                                    Bill Howard  C  Western Ontario

Edmonton Eskimos                                       Sean Kehoe  TB  Alberta

Edmonton Eskimos                                           Joshua Borger  WR  Calgary

2nd round
10. Saskatchewan Roughriders                               Hazen Henderson         DB              Simon Fraser

11. Toronto Argonauts                                      Gord Elser              LB              Calgary

12. Ottawa Rough Riders                                    Don Burns  WR  Ottawa

13. Montreal Alouettes Samuel Marshall         DB              Simon Fraser

14. Toronto Argonauts                                      Warner Miles            OL              Ottawa

15. Montreal Alouettes                                     Fred Prinzen  LB  Queen's

16. Winnipeg Blue Bombers Dave Brown              WR              Alberta

17. Calgary Stampeders                                     Terry Lehne  DB  Saskatchewan

18. Edmonton Eskimos Mike Reid               C               Ottawa

3rd round
19. Saskatchewan Roughriders                               Don Busto              FL/DB            Simon Fraser

20. Toronto Argonauts                                      Don Dominico           WR               Western Ontario

21. British Columbia Lions                                 Jamie Armstead         DB               Calgary

22. Montreal Alouettes                                     Joe Kuklo              DB               Simon Fraser

23. British Columbia Lions                                 Larry Priestnall  TB  Acadia

24. Calgary Stampeders                                     Kari Suutari           LB               Wisconsin

25. Winnipeg Blue Bombers                                  Hubert Walsh           TB               Acadia

26. Hamilton Tiger-Cats                                    Jeff Arp               G                Western Ontario

27. Edmonton Eskimos                                       Scott Essery  TE  Windsor

4th round
28. Saskatchewan Roughriders David Pearson          DT               Western Ontario

29. Ottawa Rough Riders John Lowe  TB  Guelph

30. Ottawa Rough Riders                                    Eric Boss              DT               Toronto

31. Montreal Alouettes                                     Dean Claridge  DE  British Columbia

32. British Columbia Lions Ed Jones               DB               Simon Fraser

33. Calgary Stampeders                                     Ted Kozik  DE  Saint Mary's

34. Winnipeg Blue Bombers                                  Dick Rigelhof          LB               North Dakota

35. Hamilton Tiger-Cats                                    Rob Sommerville        DB               Waterloo

36. Edmonton Eskimos                                       Ron Lammer             DL               Alberta

6th round
46. Saskatchewan Roughriders                               John Celestino         DT               Windsor

47. Toronto Argonauts                                      Jeff Hale              T                Guelph

48. Ottawa Rough Riders                                    Anthony Refosso        T                Toronto

49. Montreal Alouettes                                     Dominic Vetro         WR                Wilfrid Laurier

50. British Columbia Lions                                 David Thornhill       WR                Bishop's

51. Calgary Stampeders                                     Jay Triano           DB                Simon Fraser

52. Winnipeg Blue Bombers                                  Hugh Goodman          DL                Acadia

53. Hamilton Tiger-Cats                                    Ian Troop             G                 Wilfrid Laurier

54. Edmonton Eskimos                                       Wyatt Wishart        DT                Concordia

7th round
55. Saskatchewan Roughriders                               Wayne Stremel        LB                Simon Fraser

56. Toronto Argonauts Kevin Malone          DB                Queen's

57. Ottawa Rough Riders                                    Rob Ball              DB                Queen's

58. Montreal Alouettes                                     Dave Ridgway  K  Toledo

59. British Columbia Lions                                 Ed Hole               T                 Alberta

60. Calgary Stampeders Wayne Harris Jr.          LB                Calgary

61. Winnipeg Blue Bombers                                  Peter Martell  TB  St. Francis Xavier

62. Hamilton Tiger-Cats Bill Paul  TB  Sheridan

63. Edmonton Eskimos                                       Craig Mallender       TB                Windsor